Page 18 of The Beta: Part Three
“It can't be as bad as all that,” Alex smirks. He and Trent are, well, I don't know what they're doing.
“What is all that?” It looks like they've got catalogs for fishing equipment and swimming pools and gardening supplies spread out over the work table.
“We're picking out birthday presents.” Alex is very pleased with himself.
“For who?”
“My great uncle Cornelius, and Trent's brother Joe.”
“Trent doesn't have a brother. And do you have an Uncle Cornelius? What are you doing?” Whatever it is must be completely ridiculous.
Trent rocks back on his heels, “Talia said we could spoil her on birthdays, just notherbirthday.”
I stare down at the collection of what-the-hell on the table then back at the two idiots patting themselves on their backs. I open my mouth to tell them Talia isn't going to appreciate fishing supplies, but then I shut it. “You know what, good luck. I hope she enjoys whatever this,” I motion to the catalogs, “is.” Then I sit down in the ratty old recliner in the corner of the garage to call my father.
I decide mid-ring that this is more of a pacing conversation and stand back up.
“Son,” he doesn't bother with a hello. He sounds happy enough that this call might not ruin his entire day.
“Father,” I reply. “Do you have time to talk?”
“Of course. I'd make time. How are you feeling?” It's quiet on his end of the call. Great. His full attention. I almost wish he was at the office with other people to distract him from his disappointing son.
“I'm alright. I won't take too long. I need to talk about stepping back. At least temporarily. I have neglected some very important things, and I need to get my priorities sorted and back in order. We're going to finish up this mess with Crane and the rogues, but then we're offline for a few months, maybe even a partial retirement. I've let things go that should have never been let go and I have to get myself and my pack back in order.”
There's no sound from the other end of the call for a full ten seconds before my father responds. “Good. It's been a shit thing to do to you, son. I've been pushing you too hard for too long. I was going to force a break on you and your boys when you agreed to take in Talia, but then things with the rogues started escalating and your unit was, and still is, the only one I really trust. I've leaned too heavily on you, for that I apologize. I was never the best father when you were younger, and I've just made it worse as you're grown. Now I've got a grown son who thinks his only worth to me is in the job he does. That's on me. That's the downfall of being a father, sometimes you get caught up in building the wrong sorts of things and lose sight of the right sorts of things. I hope to do a much better job of it from now on, or at least fuck it up in different ways.”
I take the phone from my ear and look at the screen to make sure my dad is who I actually called. Well...shit. I don't know what to say now. I thought he was going to take it poorly. I never expected this reaction. “I have never said you were a bad father.”
“Of course you didn't. You would never say that, you'd just keep trying to be better and let me get by with all of it. Elizabet had a little heart to heart with me after you left the hospital.”
Oh my god. “What do you mean? What did she say? I didn't mention anything to her.”
He laughs. “Don't be so worked up over it. You were in and out of consciousness for days and you were on quite a few medications. She had a few things to say to me about some things you may have let slip in your semi-conscious state. I'm just sorry it took so long and an ass-reaming by a Graves to get us to this point.” I hear an engine start on his end. He must be heading home for the day. “I owe Jasper an apology, as well. I haven't been very fair to him over the years. There's also a project I want him to head in the future, so I'll need to get into his good graces before I can spring it on him.”
“Jasper isn't doing missions.”
“No, I’d never even attempt to send him out. I'm more worried about what Talia might do to me if I suggested something like that than I am you,” he laughs. “It's nothing like that, anyway. No missions. I swear it. I also think a sit down about your team retiring would be a positive step forward. Maybe not Nathan, but no field work for him, just his brains behind a computer, especially after those ear things he made.”
I still have no idea what to say.
“Your mother wants you over on Saturday afternoon if you can make it. All of you.”
“I'll talk to everyone and see what we can do,” I say, then change the subject. I'm much better at talking to him about government espionage and possible treason than what Mom wants us to bring for lunch this Saturday. “Have you heard back from the Dennison pack?”
“Not yet. I'll let you know when I do. Now, get off the phone and go actually enjoy something.”
Then he hangs up, leaving me holding the phone to my ear and staring blankly in Trent and Alex's direction.
“Everything alright?” Trent asks.
“I guess so. We're taking a break after we take care of all this shit with the rogues.”
“Well, thank fuck for that. I don't like to complain,” Trent says, but I interrupt him.
“Yes, you do.”
He grins at me, “I'm just saying, we need to regroup. As a pack. I know we have a job to do and all, but we have other things to do, too. Especially now.”
